Vibrator



June 23, 1942. w. A. THOMAS VIBRA'IOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 25,1940 wag-4% INVENTOR 4 ATTORNEY June 23, 1942. w. A. THOMAS VIBRATORFiled Nov. 25, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 arm m w I INVENTOR ATTORNEYPatented June 23, 1942 VIBRATOR William A. Thomas, Riverside, Conn,assignor to Schick, Incorporated, a corporation of Delaware ApplicationNovember 25, 1940, Serial No. 367,013

7 Claims.

The invention relates to self-contained electric hand-vibrators, bywhich is meant vibrators incorporating a vibratory electric motor andadapted to be mounted on the back of the hand to vibrate the fingersthereof, the fingers in turn being applied as massage elements to theportion of the anatomy to be treated.

The general object of the invention is to provide an improved vibratorof the character described, affording various economies and advantagesfrom the standpoint of manufacture and assembly. More particularly theinvention is concerned with and provides for the improvement of thehand-engaging parts of the vibrator and the method of attaching the sameto the vibrator itself, all as illustrated in preferred form in theaccompanying drawings.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a plan view of the base or chassis of thevibrator; Fig. 2 is a side View of the base; Fig. 3 is a perspectiveView of the cushion pad; Fig. 4 a perspective view of the hand strap;Fig. 5 a vertical section of the assembled vibrator; Fig. 6 a horizontalsection on the line 6-6 of Fig; 5; Fig. 7 a vertical section on the lineI'! of Fig. 5; and Fig. 8 a perspective View of a modified form of handstrap.

Although not limited to vibrators of the particular kind illustrated,the invention is shown applied to a vibrator of the type adapted to bemounted on the backs of the fingers between the first or basal jointsand the second joints of the fingers. Such vibrators comprise, ingeneral, some sort of base for engagement with the backs of the fingers,vibrator mechanism mounted on the base, a suitable housing or cover forthe mechanism and means for securing the vibrator in position on thehand.

The base, in this instance, comprises a molded or die-cast unit I onwhich is mounted suitable vibrator mechanism, such as an electric motorhaving an unbalanced armature 2 rotating between the poles of a fieldmagnet 3 energized by field coils 4; but since it forms no part of thepresent invention, the motor per se will not be described in detailherein. For purposes to be described, this preferred form of base isformed with a shoulder 5 around its entire periphery; also withupstanding posts 6 and, adjacent its ends, with slots 1.

In order to cushion the vibrator to an extent sumcient to avoid abradingor irritating the backs of the fingers while the device is in operation,I provide a pad to be mounted under and extending over the entire areaof the base which would otherwise engage the skin. The pad may be ofrubber, which term as used herein comprehends both natural and syntheticvarieties or substitutes. The presently preferred material is neoprene,because, as is well known, it is highly resistant to penetration anddeterioration by oils and greases and on that account can be readilycleansed of any oil or grease in the form of massage creams or lotionsor natural oils picked up from the hand of the user. As illustrated, thepad is a molded unit having a fiuted, fleshengaging surface 8 (Fig. 5),which tends to resist displacement of the vibrator when in position, andan upstanding and inwardly projecting beaded lip 9 extending around itsperiphery. In the relaxed condition of the pad, the beaded lip definesan area somewhat less than that of the area of the base, therebyadapting it to contract over the shoulder 5 of the base when the pad isapplied to the base in a slightly stretched condition and released. Soapplied, the pad is snugly fitted to the base and effectively shields itfrom direct contact with the flesh of the fingers. The base is providedwith spaced seats In for engagement with corresponding seats ll on theinside of a molded housing or cover l2 which completely encloses thevibrator mechanism; and in order to permit the attachment of the housingfirmly to the base, while avoiding extraneous attachment means likely tocatch on the clothing or abrade the skin, screws l3 are employed, havingtheir heads seating inthe base and completely covered by the cushionpad. To facilitate assembly, I provide the pad with appropriately spacedslits M through which a suitable screwdriver may be passed to engagescrews I3. While the slits are no more than line cuts, the elasticity ofthe rubber permits the slits to be expanded into openings of a sizeadequate to pass the screw-driver; and, by the same token, the slits areself-closing, although if desired they'may be actually sealed. Inconsequence, the pad presents to all intents and purposes an unbrokenand readily cleaned surface free of any such screw holes or openings aswould accumulate grease or massage cream from the hand of the user; and,at the same time, the housing-securing screws are concealed againstunauthorized tampering.

According to the foregoing construction, the attachment of the cushionpad to the base is not dependent upon the screws l3; and although thepad, if of rubber, can be contracted on and thereby held to the base asabove described, it is preferred to provide other means for positivelysecuring it against displacement. Accordtimes.

ing to my invention, this purpose is served by the housing or coverarranged to enclose the vibrator mechanism, the housing being adapted tobe secured to the base in clamping engagement with the pad.

To this end, the housing 12 is so dimensioned that the inner edges ofits open side closely lit the peripheryof the base with the p'adthereon. The engagement of the end walls of the housing with the pad isclearly shown in Fig. 5. The side walls of the housing, as shown in Fig.7, are shorter than the end walls, so as to seat on the top or shoulderof the protruding portion 16 which is molded along the sides only of thepad and which, as indicated, isornamentally fluted to conform inappearance to the under or flesheingaging surface of the pad. Also, theinner edge of each side wall of the housing is'bevelled, as at I? (Fig.7) to engage the outer corner of the beaded edge of the pad. Thus, whenthe housing-is drawn down on its'seats on the base byscrews l3,thesebevelled-edges compress and firmly hold the engaged marginal portions ofthe cushion pad against thebase. As will be un derstood,-the beadededges of the pad, bothalong its-sides and at its-ends, secure the padagainst displacement or removal so long as the housing is in place. Bythis construction, also, the vibrator is completely sealed against boththe escape of oil from and-the entry of foreign matter into the housing.

Inorder to hold the vibrator inposition onthe hand astrap orband 'l8'isprovided which like wise is preferablyof molded rubber and adapted to besecured by'its ends to the vibrator within In order to guard against thepins jumping out of the slots when the users hand is removed fromthestrap, the strap is of such length that it is under slight tension even.when not in use, so that the pins areheld down in the slots at allOrdinarily suchinitial tension would be undesirable becauselikely toincrease to such an extent .upon theinsertion of the hand into the loopas to cause the fingersto be gripped and confined too tightly forcomfort; but, in the present case, this result is avoided by making theposts '5 of such height that the ends of the strap are ,anch-oredhigh upin the housing, as appears in .Fig.5,thereby permitting the use of astrap ofsuch abnormallength that the tension increase which occurs whenthe hand is inserted ismuch less than would occur with an elasticband-of a length justsufilcient to embrace the fingers ,or hand :andhaving its ends attached to .the'vibrator adjacent the plane ofthe-base. In order that th strap .may be so applied to the vibrator asto-be under appropriate tension, one ormore additional pin-receivingloops or eyes l9 maybe moldedinit at :difierent distances fromrthe endsof the strap, as indicated in Fig. 4.

As shown, the cushion pad is provided with slots :22, registeringwiththe base slots 1, through whichthe strap is passed;-and,-in order toprevent the.- entry into the'housing of cream or the like picked .upfrom the users hand, the slots are made slightly smaller than'thecross-section of the strap, so that, as the. strap contractslengthwise-throughtheslots upon the removal of the .inforcing elements.

under some circumstances to embed themselves to a disagreeable extent inthe fleshy front of the hand (the fingers in this instance) and I havefound that this tendency can be minimized by reinforcing and renderingless flexible,,laterally, the intermediate portion or central stretch ofthe strap which engages the skin. The reinforcement need not be andpreferably is not continuous throughout the portion in question and isachieved in:a quite simple manner in theform of strap shown in Figs. '4,15 and 7, by molding thestrap with spaced reinforcing elements in'theform of transverse ribs 23. :The end portions of .the straparerelativel thin,.and, by reason of their unusual length, alreadymentioned, aided bythe thin portionsintermediate the ribs, provideadequateextensibility notwithstanding the over-all reduction thereofresulting from the thickening ofparts of the strap to form the re- So:formed, or equivalently reinforced, the. strap seats itself against theskin with greater comfort to theuser and, due to the reducedfiexibilitynofithe strap, .thehand is more :llsed :solely for thepurpose-first above stated,

'Viz, to vibratetheifingersywhich are in turnapplied to the portion ofthe anatomy to be treated.

But, according "to a further feature of my inventionytheir use mayreadilyxbe extended and the treatments supplementedby means of asuitable applicator similarv or-analagous to the rubber tit applicators:of the kind ordinarily intended for manual use without any mechanicalvibration or in coniunction'with (hand-held vibrators (as distinguishedfrom vibrators attached to the hand). Inits preferred form thesupplementary applicator isiformeld .as an integral part ofthe handstrap. It can, for example, consist of a series ofmoldedmounds'zd (Fig.8) on the exposed side of the strap, the :mound not only serving thereinforcing function of the rib 23 but protruding far enoughfrom'the'fingers and being of a suitable shape to serve :asmassageelements which, as will be apparent, can be. applied conveniently,instead of the vibrated-fingers, to thescalp or other parts ofztheanatomy, as desired.

Having now for purposes of illustration described my invention .indetaili-n its preferred form,.I claim:

1. In a vibrator of the kind described, a base, a cushion pad under thebase to engage the back of :the hand, vibrator mechanism mounted on thebase, a'housing for said mechanism, a -plurality of screws for securingthe housing tothe base within the area thereof covered bysa-id pad. thelatter having marginal portions positioned to be-engaged and clamped bythe housing asthe latter is drawn toward the baseby'said' screws.

2. In a vibrator ofthekind described, a base, a cushion-pad under thebase to engage the back of the hand and having'portions extendingupwardly and inwardly over edges of the base, vibrator mechanism mountedon the base, a housing for said mechanism adapted to bear upon the topof said upwardly and inwardly extending portions of the pad to clamp thesame to the base and means for securing the housing to the base.

3. In a vibrator of the kind described, a base having a peripheralshoulder, a cushion pad therefor having marginal portions to embracesaid shoulder, a housing and means for securing the same to the basewith its edges in clamping engagement with the said marginal portions ofthe pad.

4. In a vibrator of the kind described, a base, a rubber cushion padunder the base to engage the back of the hand, vibrator mechanismmounted on the base, a housing for said mechanism adapted to clamp thepad to the base, screws for securing the housing to the base with theirheads covered by said pad, and self-closing slits in the pad inalignment with said screws to permit passage of the screws therethrough.

5. In a vibrator of the kind described, a base, a cushion pad under thebase to engage the back of the hand, vibrator mechanism mounted on thebase, a housing to enclose such mechanism,

spaced, registering slots in said base and pad, a hand strap passingthrough said slots, means for securing the ends of the strap within thehousing, and means for attaching the housing to the base in clampingengagement with said pad.

6. In a vibrator of the kind described, a base, a cushion pad under thebase to engage the back of the hand, vibrator mechanism mounted on thebase, a housing to enclose such mechanism, spaced, registering slots insaid base and pad, a hand strap passing through said slots, means forsecuring the ends of the strap within the housing, openings in said padto provide access to screws for securing the housing to the base, andmeans for securing the pad to the base independently of said screws.

7. In a vibrator of the kind described, a base, a cushion pad under thebase to engage the back of the hand, vibrator mechanism mounted on thebase, a housing completely enclosing such mechanism, a hand strap havingits ends secured within the housing, and slots in said pad for thepassage of the strap therethrough, said slots being smaller than thecross section of the strap.

WILLIAM A. THOMAS.

